Self-contained air conditioning unit

ABSTRACT

A self-contained air conditioning unit employing a front panel including a hinged door for cooperation with the conditioned air discharge opening, friction means being provided to maintain the door in any desired position against the force of the discharge air and limit the maximum door open position.

0 United States Patent 1191 1111 3,733,843 MacLeod [4 1 May 22, 1973 541 SELF-CONTAINED AIR 2,730,873 1/1956 Hardin ..62/262 CONDITIONING UNIT 3,165,053 l/l965 Christie ..62/262 3,306,645 2 1967 M l k ..62 262 1 memo" David E-MacLeod, Syracusefly- 3,431,748 3i1969 8:11:31 ..62i262 [73] Assignee: Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y.

[22] Filed: Sept. 9, 1971 Primary Examiner-William J. Wye APPl-No1l78980 Ltgrgey-Harry G. Martm, Jr. and .1. Raymond 52 us. 01. ..62/262, 292/277, 98/94 [571 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl ..F25([ 23/12 A s lf-contained air conditioning unit employing a [58] Field of Search ..62/262; 292/275, front panel including a hinged door for cooperation 292/277;98/94 AC with the conditioned air discharge opening, friction means being provided to maintain the door in any [56] References Cited desired position against the force of the discharge air Hess ..62/262 and limit the maximum door open position.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented May 22, 1973 A. F D1 FIGE INVENTOR. DAVID E MAC LEOD ATTORNEY 1 SELF-CONTAINED AIR CONDITIONING UNIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION To provide a self-contained air conditioning unit which is as unobtrusive as possible viewed from the area being conditioned, decorative panels may be provided to cover the front of the unit when the unit is inoperative. The decorative panel used to cover the air discharge opening of the unit may also be utilized as an air deflector to direct the conditioned air into the area being conditioned. To accomplish this, the door or panel must be provided with suitable means to hold the door in the desired position against the force exerted thereon by the discharge air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an air conditioning unit comprising a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet formed therein. A refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser, expansion means and an evaporator forming a closed circuit is disposed within the casing, the compressor and condenser being located in the exterior compartment; the evaporator being located in the interior compartment. A fan is provided for drawing air through the evaporator and discharging conditioned air from the outlet. A pivotally mounted door is provided adjacent the conditioned air outlet to close the air outlet when the unit is inoperative and deflect the discharge air in the desired direction when the unit is operative. Means forming a slot are provided for slidably receiving and frictionally engaging strap means associated with the door. Pivotal movement of the door causes the strap means to slide relative to the slot forming means, frictional engagement of the strap means by the slot forming means preventing substantial pivotal movement of the door by the air pressure produced by the fan means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a self-contained air conditioning unit;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of the front panel of the air conditioning unit of FIG. 1, illustrating the securing means to prevent pivotal movement of the panel; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line Ill-III of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a selfcontained air conditioning unit comprising a casing 2 including a base pan 3 and a top panel 5. The casing is divided into an interior compartment 9 and an exterior compartment 11 by a vertical partition member 13. A refrigeration system including a compressor (not shown), a condenser 19, expansion means (not shown) and an evaporator 15 are located within the casing and connected to form a closed circuit, the condenser 19 being located within the exterior compartment 11, evaporator 15 being located within interior compartment 9. A double ended fan motor 21 mounted on partition 13 is provided with an evaporator fan 23 and a condenser fan 25 for passage of air across evaporator 15 and condenser 19.

The interior compartment 9 is provided with a horizontal partition 27 and a vertical partition 29, partition 29 having a fan orifice 31 formed therein. Partition 29 cooperates with partition 13 and partition 27 cooperates with top panel 5 to form a L-shaped plenum within compartment 9 for discharging conditioned air into the area being conditioned through opening 33 formed in the front of the casing. Sound absorbent material such as fiberglass mats 34 may be provided on partition 13 and the inner surface of top panel 5 to absorb noise generated by fan 23. It can be seen by reference to the drawing that air is drawn through opening 35 provided in the bottom of the casing and evaporator 15 by fan 23 and is discharged through the L-shaped plenum and opening 33 into the area served by the air conditioning unit.

An orifice partition 47 is provided in exterior chamber 11 for cooperation with fan 25 to draw ambient air from suitable openings 49 formed in side panels 7 for passage across condenser 19 for cooling the refrigerant therein.

The front panel for the air conditioning unit includes a lower fixed panel 50 adapted to block the line of sight to the evaporator 15. A door 52 adapted for cooperation with conditioned air discharge opening 33 is pivotally connected to lower panel 50 by means of hinges 54. The door 52 may be pivoted from a fully closed position completely blocking air discharge opening 33 to a substantially horizontal position or any angle between fully opened and fully closed to deflect the discharged air at the desired angle.

A flexible strap 56 is secured to door 52 by suitable means such as screw 58. A saddle plate 60 is suitably secured to lower panel 50 by suitable means such as screws 62 to form a slot between saddle 60 and lower panel 50 which frictionally engages strap 56. The lower endof strap 56 is provided with a suitable stop 64 preferably by forming a bend in the end of the strap.

Pivotal movement of door 52 about hinges 54 will cause strap 56 to slide relative to saddle 60 and panel 50, the frictional forces exerted on strap 56 by saddle 60 preventing movement of door 52 by the force of air discharged from opening 33, thus permitting air to be deflected at the desired angle. When the door 52 is in the fully closed or upright position, strap 56 is substantially straight. In this position, door 52 may be opened slightly with minimal movement and therefore minimal 7 friction between strap 56 and saddle 60. The resilience of strap 56 is relied upon in this instance to maintain door 52 closed. Thus, if door 52 is inadvertently closed while the unit is in operation the air pressure exerted thereon will cause the door to open slightly, thereby providing a minimal air flow through the evaporator to prevent or minimize frost formation on the evaporator. Thus, simple, inexpensive securing means are provided for maintaining door 52 in any desired position.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise embodied within the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. In air conditioning unit, the combination of:

a. a casing;

b. a first partition within said casing dividing said casing into an interior compartment and an exterior compartment;

0. a refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser, expansion means, and an evaporator connected to form a closed circuit disposed within said casing, said compressor and condenser being disposed in said exterior compartment and said evaporator being disposed in said interior compartment;

d. means forming an air inlet in said casing for passage of air through said evaporator;

e. means forming an air outlet in said casing for passage of conditioned air into the area served by the air conditioning unit;

f. fan means for drawing air through said inlet and said evaporator and discharging air from said outlet;

g. a door for controlling the discharge of air from said outlet;

h. hinge means pivotally mounting said door adjacent said outlet;

i. strap means associated with said door, and

j. means forming a slot for slidably receiving and frictionally engaging said strap means, pivotal movement of said door about said hinge means causing said strap means to slide relative to said slot forming means, the frictional engagement of said strap means by said slot forming means preventing pivotal movement of said door about said hinge means in response to air pressure produced by said fan means.

2. An air conditioning unit according to claim 1 wherein said air outlet is formed in the upper front face of said casing,

a fixed panel disposed adjacent the lower front face of said casing, said hinge means pivotally mounting said door on said panel, said strap means being vertically disposed, the upper end of said strap means being afiixed to said door, the lower portion of said strap means being disposed adjacent the interior side of said fixed panel,

said means forming a slot including a saddle piate disposed on said fixed panel to form a slot between said plate and said panel,

fastening means for securing said saddle plate to said panel on both sides of said slot, said strap means being disposed in said slot, pivotal movement of said door about said hinge means causing said strap means to slide relative to said saddle plate and said panel, frictional engagement of said strap means by said panel and said saddle plate preventing pivotal movement of said door about said hinge means in response to air pressure produced by said fan means.

3. An air conditioning unit according to claim 2 further including stop means formed on the lower end of said strap'means for engagement with said saddle plate to limit the maximum open position of said door. 

1. In air conditioning unit, the combination of: a. a casing; b. a first partition within said casing dividing said casing into an interior compartment and an exterior compartment; c. a refrigeration system including a compressor, a condenser, expansion means, and an evaporator connected to form a closed circuit disposed within said casing, said compressor and condenser being disposed in said exterior compartment and said evaporator being disposed in said interior compartment; d. means forming an air inlet in said casing for passage of air through said evaporator; e. means forming an air outlet in said casing for passage of conditioned air into the area served by the air conditioning unit; f. fan means for drawing air through said inlet and said evaporator and discharging air from said outlet; g. a door for controlling the discharge of air from said outlet; h. hinge means pivotally mounting said door adjacent said outlet; i. strap means associated with said door, and j. means forming a slot foR slidably receiving and frictionally engaging said strap means, pivotal movement of said door about said hinge means causing said strap means to slide relative to said slot forming means, the frictional engagement of said strap means by said slot forming means preventing pivotal movement of said door about said hinge means in response to air pressure produced by said fan means.
 2. An air conditioning unit according to claim 1 wherein said air outlet is formed in the upper front face of said casing, a fixed panel disposed adjacent the lower front face of said casing, said hinge means pivotally mounting said door on said panel, said strap means being vertically disposed, the upper end of said strap means being affixed to said door, the lower portion of said strap means being disposed adjacent the interior side of said fixed panel, said means forming a slot including a saddle plate disposed on said fixed panel to form a slot between said plate and said panel, fastening means for securing said saddle plate to said panel on both sides of said slot, said strap means being disposed in said slot, pivotal movement of said door about said hinge means causing said strap means to slide relative to said saddle plate and said panel, frictional engagement of said strap means by said panel and said saddle plate preventing pivotal movement of said door about said hinge means in response to air pressure produced by said fan means.
 3. An air conditioning unit according to claim 2 further including stop means formed on the lower end of said strap means for engagement with said saddle plate to limit the maximum open position of said door. 